(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the recording of information, especially medical information, and particularly to a photographic storage technique. More specifically, this invention is directed to apparatus for use in recording multiple images on a single carrier sheet. Accordingly, the general objects of the present invention are to provide novel and improved methods and apparatus of such character.
(2 ) Description of the Prior Art
While not limited thereto in its utility, the present invention is particularly well suited for use in the storage of data produced during diagnostic tests and especially to recording the results of non-invasive test procedures performed on the human body. For reasons which are well known, and will not be discussed herein, the film negatives or other hard copy records produced during medical test procedures must be stored for a considerable period of time. The space required for such storage is very considerable and thus maintenance of these records constitutes a substantial expense. Additionally, when photographic film is the storage medium, the salvage value of the stored material is significant because of the silver content. There has, accordingly, been a long standing desire to reduce the volume of medical records being stored.
Continuing to discuss non-invasive medical test procedures, one of the more recently refined testing techniques employs the use of ultasonic energy. Reference may be had to U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,777, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, for a disclosure of an ultrasonic body scanner. During use of the ultrasonic body scanner, and this is also true of other types of medical test apparatus, a plurality of images are sequentially presented for analysis by the physician. It is often necessary or desirable that these sequential images be permanently recorded; i.e., be photographed; for analysis after the test procedure has been terminated and/or for future use. Thus, by way of example, the physician may wish to photograph images sequentially provided on an active display device, a cathode ray tube for example, commensurate with a series of different focal points of the scanning beam or beam penetration angles. The images may then later be compared to provide valuable information concerning the patient's condition. In the past it has been common practice to expose a series of plates and thereafter temporarily mount the plural individual negatives on a light box for comparison purposes. This, of course, is a cumbersome procedure which carries some risk that the order of presentation of negatives for review will be different from the order in which the exposures have been made.
There have been devices proposed in the prior art for forming multiple images on a single negative. Such prior art devices, however, have been primarily designed for recording data at the fastest possible speed and/or for maximizing "recall" speed. These prior art devices have typically established relative movement between the camera and film in a spiral pattern. Such prior art devices are not suitable for the recording of medical test data since they do not provide the degree of resolution required nor are they suitable for use in forming the comparatively large size individual images desired in the case of medical test data. Further, such prior art devices are customarily completely self-contained and thus are not capable of mounting on existing medical diagnostic equipment such as, for example, as a replacement for the single frame camera 34 of the ultrasonic body scanner of above-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,777.